A senior dog has found her forever home with a family who intends to make her final years her best ones yet.
Netty was sadly returned to the Pennsylvania animal shelter she was adopted from 10 years ago after her previous owners said she was incontinent.
Desperate to help the 15-year-old pooch, the Pennsylvania branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) took to social media to tug on some heartstrings.
"We hate to break your hearts, again, but here we are," the shelter wrote in an August 7 Facebook post. "Netty is 15-years-old. She was adopted from our shelter in 2010 and recently returned due to what the owners said was incontinence. Our veterinary team put her on some medication, and she is doing wonderfully."
The shelter went on to explain that, while her health has improved, "this old gal is sitting in a shelter in what could be her final days."
"We are looking for a home where she can spend whatever time she has left," they explained, adding: "Can you please help us spread the word about this beautiful soul to get her out of the shelter and into a warm, cozy bed?"
The shelter shared the post alongside an adorable snap of Netty. When Amy Kidd - owner of Pocopson Veterinary Station in West Chester - saw the picture, she was instantly won over.
In an interview with Newsweek, Kidd explained how one of her receptionists showed her the post. Kidd's family has a track record for rescuing senior pets.
"Having lost our 12-year-old rescue Pointer to cancer last month, we have been keeping our eyes out for our next family member. Then came that face," the vet recalled.
Kidd's three children drove to Philadelphia, where they instantly fell in love with Netty and wasted no time in bringing her home. It wasn't long before the old pooch had settled in with her new family, with Kidd explaining that she got on well with their other dogs.
"We bought a huge teddy bear just so she can cuddle anytime she wants. Since my husband works from home, she has been supervising his Zoom calls outside on an elevated pet bed with her blanket," she described.
Thanks to Kidd's experience as a vet, Netty is also receiving the best possible care for her health issues, including physical therapy in the pool for her arthritis.
"Our ultimate goal is to love and spoil her every day she has left. We know we don't have years left with her, but she will be treated like the queen she is from now on," the vet said.
A wonderful story that I hope inspires other families to consider bringing an older dog into their homes.
